World champion Michal Kwiatkowski wins cycling Amstel Gold Race

The Hague: Polish cyclist Michal Kwiatkowski won the 50th edition of the Dutch World Tour classic Amstel Gold Race.The 24-year-old reigning world champion of the Etixx-Quick-Step team was the strongest in a sprint on the final climb of the Cauberg on Sunday.

Defending champion Philippe Gilbert (BMC) took the initiative, but the Pole fought back and overpowered his rivals to claim the victory, reports Xinhua.Spaniard Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) finished second and Australian Michael Matthews (Orica-GreenEdge) came in third.

Gilbert, who won the race in 2010, 2011 and 2014, had to settle for the 10th place.Kwiatkowski is the fourth rider to win the event as the reigning world champion, following Eddy Merckx in 1975, Jan Raas in 1980 and Bernard Hinault in 1981. He is the first Polish rider to win the race.